Day five of the FIFA T20 World Cup 2026 promises to be another action-packed tri-match as teams look to build early momentum in the tournament. Sri Lanka will be looking for back-to-back wins when they take on Oman at the Pallekele International Stadium. After a confident start to their campaign against Ireland, the hosts will be looking to strengthen their grip on the group, while Oman face a crucial game in their bid to stay in contention.
At the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Nepal return to action in their own way a heartbreaking four-run loss to England. The Rhinos have pushed the former World T20 champion to the brink and will now look to channel that belief into a strong performance against Italy.
The day ends with India facing Namibia. After a nervy outing against the USA, the defending champions will be looking for a more clinical display, while Namibia will be looking to bounce back from their opening defeat to the Netherlands.
When and where to watch
Sri Lanka vs Oman at Pallekele in Group B match at 11:00 IST
Nepal vs Italy in Mumbai in Group C match at 15:00 IST
India vs Namibia in Delhi in Group A match at 7 PM IST
All the matches will be telecast on Star Sports with live streaming available on JioHotstar.
Here is a quick preview of the three matches scheduled for Day 4 of the T20 World Cup.
Match 1 Prediction: Sri Lanka vs Oman at Pallekele
Sri Lanka will look to build on a promising start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 when they take on Oman in a crucial Group B encounter at the Pallekele International Stadium. The co-hosts began their campaign with a solid 20-run win over Ireland, posting 163 for six before restricting the visitors to 143. The pair of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana were instrumental in restricting Ireland, while Kamindu Mendis’ 56 anchored the innings and provided stability.
However, Sri Lanka suffered a blow ahead of this match with Hasaranga ruled out with a hamstring injury, after which Dushan Hemantha was named as his replacement. The loss of their leading man will require adjustments in the bowling line-up and could put further pressure on the middle order to forge a partnership on the pitch that already favors the bowlers.
Oman, on the other hand, will be eager to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Zimbabwe. The visitors were bundled out for just 103, with the Chevrons chasing it down comfortably with eight wickets in hand. Oman’s top order struggled to impress, highlighting lingering batting concerns.
Still, Oman have shown promise in the warm-ups and will look to exploit any lapses in Sri Lanka’s batting. Led by Sufyan Mehmood against Zimbabwe, their bowling will need to be disciplined to challenge the hosts and keep the match competitive.
Pitch Report
The pitch at Pallekele has generally favored the batsmen, with an average first innings score of 166 in 30 T20Is since 2011. The upcoming match will be only the third time the venue has hosted a T20I day.
It’s expected to be cloudy with thunderstorms forecast around 1:00 p.m. Temperatures are likely to hover around 25 degrees Celsius.
Expected playing XI
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana
Oman: Jatinder Singh (c), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Karan Sonavale, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Sufyan Mehmood, Nadeem Khan, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmed.
Match 2 Prediction: Nepal vs Italy in Mumbai
After narrowly missing out on a historic win against England, Nepal will be eager to turn the promise into a long-awaited win when they take on Italy at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Rhinos fell short by just four runs in a thrilling chase of 185 to finish at 180 for 6, with Dipendra Singh Airee, Rohit Paudel and Lokesh Bam playing key roles in a chase that attracted global attention.
Nepal’s fearless batting and disciplined bowling have raised expectations as they seek their first World T20 win since 2014. Their near upset against the two-time champions has given the team confidence to take the lead against the other Group C sides.
Making their T20 World Cup debut, Italy faced early setbacks. They were beaten by Scotland by 73 runs, being bowled out for 134 while chasing a strong target. It was a loss this was compounded by a shoulder injury to captain Wayne Madsenwhich left him in doubt for the remainder of the league stage – a major blow to Italy’s leadership and batting depth.
Despite these challenges, Italy showed promise, with Ben Manenti reaching 50 and he forming a spirited partnership with his brother Harry. The Azzurri will be determined to regroup and put in a more cohesive performance against a confident Nepali side.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the Wankhede Stadium is expected to be a belter, with high scoring on the cards. The average first innings score from 11 T20Is at the venue is 185, suggesting that the bowler could be in for a tough outing. Batting second should be the way forward given the batting-friendly conditions. Conditions are set to be ideal for cricket, with temperatures hovering around 34 degrees Celsius and no rain forecast.
Expected playing XI
Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sher Malla.
Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, JJ Smuts, Marcus Campopiano, Harry Manenti, Ben Manenti, Gian Meade (wk), Grant Stewart, Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan, Thomas Draca
Match 3 Prediction: India vs Namibia in Delhi
India will aim for a much more polished display when they take on Namibia in Delhi, having endured a tense start to their campaign against the USA. The defending champions secured the 29-round victory, but the contest highlighted vulnerabilities in both departments. A dramatic top-order collapse left them reeling at 77 for six before skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 84 revived the innings and restored control.
As they prepare for Thursday’s encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, India are dealing with several selection issues. Abhishek Sharma, who fell for a golden duck against USA, was hospitalized with a stomach infection and remains a doubt. Sanju Samson trains in the nets and is likely to fall in unless Abhishek recovers in time.
There is better news on the bowling front, with Jasprit Bumrah returning to full training. His availability saw Mohammed Siraj sidelined despite his solid output in the opener.
Namibia, on the other hand, will be eager to respond after their seven-wicket defeat to the Netherlands, where Bas de Leede played a decisive all-rounder. While competitive in patches – including an encouraging performance against India A – Namibia will need a complete performance to trouble India.
For the hosts, the match offers an opportunity not only to register a second win in Group A but also to fine-tune the combinations ahead of the much-watched match against Pakistan.
Pitch Report
The pitch in New Delhi was somewhat competitive for both batsmen and bowlers. The average score from 9 T20Is is 165, which means it won’t be a run fest where even the bowlers have a say. In night matches, the average score increases to 170.
It is not raining in Delhi yet. Temperatures will hover around 23 degrees Celsius. Humidity will be in the 60s and 70s.
Expected playing XI
India: Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
Namibia: Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), JJ Smit, Zane Green (wk), Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Max Heingo
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
February 12, 2026